This invention relates generally to relatively moving seal members, and more particularly concerns devices for sealing off between rotary shafts and housings or walls through which shafts projects.
An oil-housing typically has an opening through which a shaft extends. When in operation the shaft rotates and drives an impeller that pumps liquid, and a mechanical face sealing system is required to minimize leakage of liquid into the oil-housing through which the shaft extends, and also to minimize the leakage of oil contained in the oil-housing to the outside. The seal system must be compatible with abrasive and corrosive applications and have inherent self-lubricating qualities in case of dry operation. Its construction must be such that it has a low coefficient of friction and good heat transfer properties so that distortion of the seal ring surfaces is kept to a minimum. In addition, the seal must be self-compensating for minor misalignments between the axis of symmetry of the shaft and the axis of symmetry of the stator.